Cupping device



T. H. SPRINGER.

CUPP-ING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 15, 1920.

1,364,148. Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

INVENTOR 7TH Springer By Mim A TTORNEYS THOMAS H. SPRINGER, OF VJATEELOO, IOVJA.

GUPPING DEVEGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4c, 1921.

Application filed March 15, 1920. Serial No. 365,692.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, THoMAs H. SPniNGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lVaterloo, in the county of Blackhawk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cupping Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

d y invention relates to improvements in cupping devices, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a cupping device, by means of which body parts, such as the breast, may be stimulated to produce a flow of blood to weakened or diseased parts by simultaneous electric and vacuum treatments.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which is simple in construction, and which is easily applied and operated by the" patient.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device having electrodes or terminals, and which may hold a liquid, such as warm water, through which a current is passed from one terminal to the other while the part of the body to be treated is in contact with the liquid.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described, in which a current may be passed directly through the body and through one terminal of the cupping device.

A further object is to provide a cupping device having rounded portions, so that there is no danger of injury of the body part to which it is applied.

()ther objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a section through the device, showing the manner in which it is charged, and

Fig. 2 is a View of the interior of the device.

in carrying out my invention, I provide a cup 1 of the shape shown in the drawings. This cup is made preferably of aluminum, but may be made of any suitable material. It is provided with an electrode or terminal 2 at one end thereof which is connected to 'The binding post and the terminal are insulated from the body portion 1 of the cup by suitable insulation 5. A second terminal or electrode 6 is connected to a binding post 7, having a nut 8 and insulated at 9.

On the side opposite the last named binding post is a tube 10, by means of which attachment may be made to a suction device, such as a pump (not shown).

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The cup is filled about two-thirds full of some liquid, such as warm water, and then is placed against the part, such as the breast 11, so that the liquid comes in contact with the breast. There is a space 12 above the liquid. The air is now exhausted from the space to any desired degree. The binding posts 3 and 7 are connected by means of contacts 13 and 14 respectively to a suitable source of current, such as a dry cell, and the current is turned on. The current will pass through the water, and a portion of it will pass through the breast, thus stimulating the latter. The stiumlation is increased by the degrees of air pressure, which cause the blood to flow to the weakened or diseased parts. The treatment is preferably app-lied twice a day for a period of ten minutes, and prevents stagnation of the blood in the weakened parts and the restoration of the normal circulation.

It will be observed that the device has no crevices or folds wherein bacteria may lodge. The edges of the cup are rounded and, consequently, there is no' danger of injuring the breast during the using of the device.

Instead of passing the current from one electrode to the other, the current may be passed directly through the body by placing one terminal of the battery (not shown) in contact with a portion of the body, and connecting the other terminal with one of the electrodes 2 or 6. Full current then passes through the breast. It is sometimes dosirable that this be done.

I claimi 1. A cupping device comprising a cup having an electrode disposed within the cup centrally thereof, a second electrode carried by' the cup on the interior thereof, said second electrode being disposed on one side of the cup substantially at right angles to the first named electrode, and a tube carried by the cup on the opposite side from said second named electrode.

2. A cupping device comprising a cup having an electrode disposed Within the cup centrally thereof, a second electrode carried the cup on the opposite side from said second named electrode, said cup being made of metal and havlng rounded edges.

3. A cupping device comprlslng a liquid holding cup having an electrode disposed 15 Within the cup centrally thereof, a second electrode carried by the cup on the interior thereof, said second electrode being disposed on one side ofthe cup, and both of said elecrodes being in engagement With the liquid in the cup when the latter is in its operative position, and a tube carried by thecup on the opposite side from said second named electrode, said tube'communicating With the space above the liquid when the cupping de- 25 vice is in operative position.

THOMAS H. SPRINGER. 

